Three Kisses
by elliehigginbottom
Summary: James and Lily kissed three times before they finally became James and Lily.
1. Chapter 1

A First Kiss

James sat in the small circle feeling like the coolest son of a bitch there ever was. He just finished his first grueling practice with the Gryffindor quidditch team, and he had done quite well, if he did say so himself. Even the seventh year quidditch captain Declan Wood had told him how impressed he was at the fourth year's talent. More importantly the undeniably fit sixth year Madeleine Watson, with her too tight workout shirts and her long brown hair had given him a wink as they ended practice.

Maddy Watson had been the topic of many of the Marauder's fantasies all through third year. And she'd winked _at him_. So far the first week of James Potter's 4th year was going first rate. The current Gryffindor quidditch team along with some other sixth and seventh years that James had never met before were lounging in front of the fire that was casting a glow around the near empty Gryffindor common room having just returned from a practice that ran particularly late.

James didn't think things could be going any better when Tony Sproll, one of the team's other seekers promptly got up from the circle of chatting students, raced to his dorm only to return with a half empty bottle of firewhiskey.

"Who's in the mood for a little spin the bottle?" Tony asked the group. Giggles and laughter erupted from the circle.

"Merlin, what is this third year?" asked Declan Wood with an amused roll of his eyes, before the captain grabbed the bottle from his fellow Gryffindor's hand and took a swig. "Why the hell not?" Declan remitted as the alcohol burned down the back of his throat, and James noticed his captain's eyes flick to a pretty blonde girl, that he knew was Greta Darby, a pretty sixth year.

James gaze naturally went to Maddy, who was giggling with some of her friends. This night certainly could not go any better.

"All right," starts Irene Timbers, the no nonsense Seeker of the team, taking the bottle from Declan, "Take a swig, then spin the bottle. You have to kiss whoever the bottle lands on. If you're a bloke and it lands on another bloke, you kiss the first girl to his right, same goes for girls." A series of whoops and cheers come from all the males in the group.

"No, you pervs! Girls kiss the first bloke to the immediate right of the girl," Irene explained impatiently to the now grumbling men. Everyone was giggling and whispering now. Anticipation of letting their barely controllable teenage hormones run free.

"Alright, enough explaining. Let's get started, " Tony interjected, grabbing the bottle. "We'll just spin it to see who goes first." James found himself holding his breath. He knew just how to act to give an air of nonchalance, but even he had the wherewithal to understand that he was out of his league here. James suddenly found himself wishing that Sirius, Remus and Peter were with him. Together they were invincible.

James watched as the Beater set the bottle in the middle of this circle, his hands poised to twist the glass vial and let fate decide the rest, when the sound of the portrait swinging open alerted the on edge crowd. No one wanted detention from a late returning prefect. But the sound of some quiet chatter filled the room. A deep masculine voice and a lighter more musical voice accompanying it. James thought one of the sounds sounded familiar.

James noticed Declan's shoulders obviously relax when sixth year Benjy Finn emerged from the portrait hole, talking to a red haired girl.

"Oi, Ben!" Called Declan, waving an arm at him. "Just in time to join the festivities. Don't worry, Benjy's great," Declan settled the apprehensive crowd.

James recognized Benjy. He was a tall, curly headed prefect. He was popular and well liked. More bookish, but a nice guy from what James had heard other guys. Remus had mentioned him a few times, since Benjy was in charge setting up tutoring sessions where Remus volunteered once a week. James had also heard a few girls gushing over the fact that Benjy Finn was not only nice, but he was also handsome.

Benjy seemed surprised to see anyone up so late in the common room, and stopped his conversation with the girl he came in with, and walked towards the group by the fire. The prefect smiled as he approached, greeting his friends as they called out to him affectionately.

"Just come back from patrols? Catch anyone in a broom closet?" Irene asked the curly headed boy excitedly.

Everyone seemed to perk up at the question. But Benjy only laughed, "No, thankfully. I was actually at a tutoring meeting. Getting things lined up for the school year."

"Oh, Ben. You're such a good guy," Greta added, with a hearty agreement from the rest of the females sitting by the fire. To James' amusement, he noticed Declan's jaw tick in frustration. It was such a stupid thing to be jealous.

"We're playing spin the bottle. Join us," Declan told his friend, although he no longer seemed enthusiastic about the idea. More encouragement for Benjy's participation rang through the group.

Ben stood there for a moment looking torn, before a, "Sure. Why not?" escaped his lips. James could care less if Ben joined, he was just ready to get this game started. There was one very busty brunette that he had a mind to kiss.

"Lily, you in?" Benjy asked, turning away from the group to face the girl that he'd walked in with. It seemed that everyone had forgotten her presence as well, as all eyes went to the redhead who was still standing in the spot Benjy had left her.

James' hazel gaze followed like the groups. He recognized the girl immediately. Lily Evans. She was a fourth year like him. He didn't know her very well. All he did know about her, he knew from Remus. She was a muggle born, liked to study, followed the rules. Hung out with the biggest prat from Slytherin. James didn't really concern himself with her. It's not like they ran in the same circles or anything.

Lily Evans stood looking uncomfortable under the gaze of her older classmates. Her long red hair, that James was used to seeing braided back, was down and with soft curls all pulled over one of her slender shoulders. Her Hogwart's uniform fitting her a bit differently than he had ever noticed last year. A demure smile playing at her lips.

"Who's your friend, Benjy?" Patrick O'Shea asked the prefect, in a tone James was in no way confused about the meaning. James noticed Evan's cheeks pink ever so slightly.

Unaffected Benjy gestured for the red headed fourth year to come join the group. The girl apprehensively walked towards the circle. "This is Lily Evans. Fourth year right?" Benjy started, before shooting the question to the blushing girl next to him.

"Yeah, she is," James found himself affirming Benjy before Lily could open her mouth. James didn't know why he needed everyone to know that. He thought maybe he was jealous that another fourth year was invading his time with his older classmates. He'd earned his spot in this circle because he'd nearly killed himself at quidditch practice. What had she done? But James had an annoying suspicion that wasn't it at all.

Lily's green eyes flashed over to her fellow fourth year, a look of surprised recognition alighting her emerald orbs. James wondered why he'd never noticed how green they were before.

"Hi," she greeted the crowd quickly, nervously tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

"Lily was working with me making tutoring schedules, which was extremely helpful. I would still be in the McGonnagal's classroom working on them if she hadn't volunteered to stay," Benjy explained kindly, giving the fourth year a friendly squeeze to her shoulder. This caused Lily to blush even more.

"That was very _kind _of you," complimented another girl from the crowd, but the remark didn't sound like a compliment. James thought that jealousy was such a foolish emotion. "You must be very bright. First in your class?" the girl asked, digging at the fourth year girl.

Lily flushed for a moment and James had an odd urge to protect her somehow. But the young girl straightened her shoulders and answered, "Actually we both are," gesturing between she and James. This caused a ripple of surprised chatter to run through the group.

Irene's voice broke through the group, "Potter? An athlete and a scholar?" James now felt his own cheeks pink. His grades weren't a topic that he liked to discuss with others. He was an athlete, a prankster, a carefree ne'er-do-well. James was a Marauder. So he had excellent grades. It was more genetics than anything, and the fact that he would do anything to make his father proud. When your father is the best man in the world, who wouldn't?

Thankfully the topic shifted from himself back to the other outsider in the group. "So how old are you?" asked Tony in a tone that did not sit well with James.

"Uh, fourteen," Lily answered, shifting her weight back from one foot to another.

"Smashing, you should join us," Tony invited, shooting a pleased look over to a few of the other blokes in the group who were wearing similar looks on their faces.

"Oh, I should probably just go to bed," Lily dismissed nervously, running a hand through her long red hair.

"Come on, just stay and have a bit of fun. You've earned it after all the work you just did," Benjy told her, taking a seat next to Declan. The small smile that found its way to the corners of Lily's pink lips was not lost on James. When she shyly nodded her head, and took a seat next to the sixth year boy, James found himself rolling his hazel eyes from behind his glasses. It seemed one more girl was now added to the long list of female students that fancied Benjy Finn.

But James didn't really feel like paying any more attention to his fellow fourth year. James had his sights set on another girl. A girl who made Lily Evans look like a child. He watched the redhead out of the corner of his eye for one second longer. Her eyes swept the circle of older students. James could tell she didn't know any of them well. Then her emerald eyes landed on him, a small smile came to her lips.

"Hi," she mouthed across the circle to the the one familiar face she recognized. Her expression was something James likened to relief. Why would she be relieved to see him? It's not like they were friends, or even friendly for that matter.

James found himself wondering if she had always been this pretty. Certainly he would have noticed before. James and Sirius had spent many a night lying on their own respective four poster beds, tossing a quaffle back and forth discussing who the hottest girls were in their class, much to Remus' annoyance.

_Great._ James felt that funny protective feeling return to his chest. Keeping an eye on Lily Evans was not part of his plans tonight. He returned only a curt nod, and joined a conversation about the upcoming quidditch season that Maddy Watson was participating in enthusiastically. If Evans wanted to play with the big kids, then she would have to look out for herself.

The game began, and gulps of firewhiskey were thrown back, and kisses were shared. James talked quidditch with the boys, and did his best to throw off the questions tossed his way about his GPA. Although he found himself less embarrassed when Maddy Watson said she was impressed with how well he did on and off the field, and James was sure that there was a suggestive meaning behind her compliment.

The bottle kept spinning and passing James and Lily. As much as James fought the urge, he couldn't help but keep tabs on his fellow fourth year. She just seemed so much younger than him somehow. In over her head. She was completely oblivious to the older boys flirting with her. Just answering their questions politely. There were a few times when the bottle seemed as if it was going to land on Lily, and James found himself distracted from conversation and holding his breath.

But it would pass, and so did the odd sensation that rolled in James' stomach. Of course he couldn't just have one night of his own fun. Someone had to come and muck it up. But then the bottle landed right in front of James.

The fourth year had not been paying attention to who's turn it was, looked around the circle to see a very shocked Greta Darby and a very irate looking Declan Wood. "Shite," James murmured under his breath. James had enough common sense to know that pissing off your captain the first week of the school year was a definitely a mistake.

"No," came Declan's authoritative voice, a hard edge to it. James only knew this tone from his time on the pitch, and he knew not to defy it. The entire group quieted as the drama unfolded, wide eyes and stifled giggles from the crowd. James sat there helpless.

No?" Greta asked her eyebrows raised at the Declan, an air of defiance on her face.

"You're not kissing him," Declan answered, as if that settled it.

Greta's pretty mouth hung agape at this act of unbridled machismo, "I'm not? I didn't realize that you had any say in what I do," she finished, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're not kissing him," Declan repeated, his angry eyes fixed on Greta's. This was fine with James. He didn't need to be in the middle of anyone's romantic drama.

"It's just a game Declan," Greta countered back. James noticed her jaw set, and a mischievous glint come to her innocent blue eyes. "Besides, I just kissed you and didn't mean anything. So what does it matter?" James saw Declan's jaw tick once more. Girls could play just as dirty as the boys.

Declan was on his feet in an instant with Greta shooting up as well. The two were yelling back and forth, accusing the other of being 'a total arse.' Until finally Irene demanded they take their petty arguments somewhere else. Which prompted the them to stalk out of the portrait hole still throwing insults back and forth. James sat there thankful that he did not have to be put in the middle of it, and thinking that there was no way he would ever be so stupid with a girl.

"About time," Benjy laughed, as the shouting voices faded from the room.

"Right, those two have been so wound up for each other," commented Irene, shaking her head. James felt like he was missing something everyone else seemed to understand easily. He felt a bit better when he noticed the confused look on Lily's face as well.

"All right, James. Your turn," Tony reminded, obviously eager to get back to the _fun._ James let himself refocus on his goal of the night. His gaze once more flicked over to Maddy, who was giggling with one of her friends. She did fill out her practice uniform so very thoroughly.

James grabbed the bottle of fire whiskey, which now had considerably less in it than when they had begun, screwed off the lid, tossed back a swig, and let the liquid fire burn down his throat. It was now or never.

Placing it back in the middle of the circle, he let out a steadying breath and spun the proverbial bottle. James sat back down, feigning disinterest as the glass vial raced in place. But he could feel his pulse racing in his ears. James wondered if he thought about Maddy hard enough, he could will the blasted thing to land in front of her.

When the bottle finally came to a halt, which James wondered if it ever would, the hazel-eyed boy looked up into the brown eyes of...Benjy Finn.

"Sorry mate," Benjy laughed. "You seem like a nice bloke, but there is no way. Spin again." Benjy added, waving his hands in front of him. James felt disappointment settle in his gut. Merlin, couldn't one thing go his way tonight?

James reached again for the bottle when Irene smacked his hand away, "No," she explained to a very confused James. "Rules are if you land on a bloke you kiss the first girl to his right." James had forgotten. They had yet had the need to employ this particular rule.

James' gaze shifted from Benjy to his immediate right, where Lily Evan's was sitting. Her green eyes widened in understanding, and her pink lips pursed in an, "Oh," as their gazes met the other's.

Just great. Now after all this time he might as well have been hanging out with fourth years anyway.

"Aw! How sweet! Young love," came one of the girls as everyone realized that the only two fourth years had been matched arbitrarily, by fate. A few more "Aws!", and "how sweets," rang through the circle. James ran a frustrated hand through ever messy dark locks. He looked over at Maddy one more time who had an annoyed look on her face.

James took some solace in this. If he couldn't kiss Maddy then he could at least show her that he was no novice at it. The messy haired boy reluctantly pushed up onto his knees, moving towards the middle of the circle. He looked over at Lily Evans who was still sitting in her spot on the floor, staring at the bottle pointed at Benjy.

"Alright, Evans?" James asked her, gesturing with his hand for her to come to him. He was starting to feel self conscious by himself in the middle of the circle. Lily snapped out of whatever trance she was in and her gaze snapped to the boy waiting for her.

She let out a nervous laugh, clearly trying to shake off her apprehension. James' annoyance flared as her eyes turned to Benjy, with a questioning look. But Benjy didn't seem to notice the obvious question in her eyes the way James did, because the curly headed boy just smiled and chucked her on the shoulder saying, "Go on, I'm sure he won't bite."

Lily pulled on an appeasing smile, and nodded, but James could tell that she was just as disappointed in not kissing Benjy as he was about not kissing Maddy. After a long exhale, the red head finally pushed herself up to her knees and moved herself towards James in the middle of the circle. The cat calls and wolf whistles increased as the older students found this turn of events highly entertaining.

James watched as Lily came to him, her eyes fixed on the lion emblem of his practice uniform. She halted a good half a meter away. James had to refrain from shaking his head at her. Why was she prolonging this? He was about to reach out for her when she whispered something so quietly, he only knew she said something because for some reason he had been staring at her mouth.

"What?" he asked her quietly. Lily looked at ceiling for a moment, as if trying to gather the courage to go on.

She moved a bit closer and whispered again, "I've never done this before." His eyebrows shot to his hairline. That was not what he was expecting her to say. James found that he actually liked the way her cheeks pinked after her confession, and he felt a small smirk play at the corner of this mouth.

"Really?" James asked through an incredulous chuckle. Which earned him a nasty glare back from her pretty face. "Sorry," the dark haired boy back pedalled. James didn't know why he was so pleasantly surprised by this bit of information. He'd figured she'd been snogging Snivellus for a while yet. It occurred to James that they were truly just friends like she'd told Remus.

Suddenly a sense of guilt settled over him. She was probably the kind of girl that wanted her first kiss to be special. The words of his father came to his mind, something about never taking advantage of a girl. Somehow it seemed to apply here. "You don't have to do this," James told her honestly.

Lily just scoffed at the notion, "Are you mental? And be the laughing stock of Gryffindor? No, we have to. But...if you could just make it look like I have some idea how to do this..." Lily trailed off, her embarrassment was evident as she looked down at her hands, that she was twisting in front of her.

Affection welled within him for Lily Evans. She seemed so innocent; so wide eyed. And she was giving him something that was obviously precious to her. James disappointment was quickly replaced by relief that _his_ spin landed on her, and not one the randy sixth year blokes, who had been looking at her like she was fresh meat. And _there_ was that niggling protective feeling again.

"I can do that," James agreed with a grin, ducking down to meet her eyes, which earned him a winning smile from his classmate. "But you're going to have to come a little closer," he directed, reaching out and placing his hand on the small of her back, pulling her to him.

Then Lily Evans was mere centimeters from him. Her scent washing itself through his senses. Vanilla and cinnamon. Which James found very fitting. She was short enough that she had to crane her neck to continue to meet his eyes. "Okay?" he asked quietly, as her hands came to rest on his chest.

"Yeah," she whispered out, her breathing already coming in short pants. James found he liked that sound as well. He began to lean in when Lily asked suddenly, "What if we hit noses?" James raised his eyes in surprise. She really had no clue what she was doing.

And they really needed to get on with this. James used his hand that was not firmly wrapped around Lily's back to cup the back of her neck. With her silky strands now sliding through his fingers, James was done tutoring her. "Close your eyes," he ordered, and as she obeyed, he pulled her pink lips to his.

It was like someone set off an atomic bomb in James' body. Maybe it was Lily's soft whimper that escaped her mouth when their lips met, or the taste of her, vanilla and cinnamon, but there was something so natural and electric about kissing Lily Evans that James found himself forgetting about Maddy Watson, Hogwarts, his own name, and enjoying the feeling of his lips on hers. She responded to him naturally. Her neck arching to find a better angle. Her lips gliding languidly across his. James hand tightened against her back.

With that movement, James pulled away. Far sooner than he wanted to. For his own good. They broke apart, with Lily's eyes slowly opening to meet his. She looked absolutely lovely, and confused, and ever so slightly off balance.

"You alright?" James asked the girl in front of him, finding his words a bit more ragged on his tongue than he expected. Lily nodded, staring once again at the Lion emblem on James' shirt. Then an upsurge of noise interrupted the couple in the middle of the circle, as cheers, hoots and hollers penetrated the bubble they had somehow created.

The noise seemed to bring Lily back from where her thoughts had taken her. "Sorry," she apologized quickly, shaking herself. "Thanks for, you know, being nice about it," she tells his shirt, still not making eye contact with the boy she'd just shared her first kiss with. Before James could reply she had turned and reclaimed her spot next to Benjy.

As James plopped down back into his seat, he was chucked on the shoulder by a few of the guys.

"Nice work mate," Tony winked at him, but James did not find it very amusing. He suddenly found himself frustrated by the keen eyes that was eyeing the younger girl.

For the rest of the night James watched Lily Evans. How she passed her turn to spin the bottle next. How she kept running her thumb across her bottom lip. How her red hair glowed like embers by the light of the fire.

By the time she caught his eye and mouthed an embarrassed, 'thanks,' James was already lost for her.


	2. Chapter 2

Lily wasn't quite sure how she'd gotten into this mess. How she found herself windswept and freezing, wearing James Potter's quidditch sweater, and stuck in place opposite her least favorite person in the world, as her stupid classmates stood around them giggling and teasing.

The redheaded fifth year let out a long huff, as she lifted her gaze once more to the Godric-awful plant that held she and Potter captive. Blasted enchanted mistletoe. Lily made a pact with herself in that moment to blast them all down once she was free.

It was all Potter's fault. He'd gotten them detention by being a stupid prat in herbology. If he hadn't been acting like a complete arse by hexing all the Slytherin boys as they walked into the classroom, then she wouldn't have had to yell at him. And if he would have just apologized then she wouldn't have had to hex him, and they wouldn't have gotten into a duel. And Lily Evans wouldn't have to be serving her first detention ever with him tonight.

"Where's your cloak?" he'd asked her with something that sounded like concern, when she had met him just outside the Great Hall that evening. The pair were told to meet Hagrid at the edge of the Forbidden Forest promptly at seven o'clock. They were to be gathering moonfern for next week's herbology lesson as punishment. After the sun had set. In December.

Lily thought this was a particularly harsh detention, especially since she had never earned a detention before. But she was incurring the wrath of Professor Binns by proxy. Potter served detentions on a weekly basis.

With a roll of her green eyes, Lily responded sharply, "Well Potter, I haven't been back to the dorms since I left this morning. I have Potion's tutoring sessions on Wednesdays after classes. You know, when you help others? Forget it, you've probably never heard of it."

"Right," James affirmed, crossing his long arms over his chest. "Well, it's bloody freezing outside. So, get your cloak, and I'll tell Hagrid I hid it or something." James told her, checking his watch. Lily knew if she went all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower they would be late. And Lily was never late.

With a groan, she shoved past the tall gryffindor boy, heading to the door. "I'll be fine," she told him over her shoulder as she pushed open the oak door. The cold December air hit her like knives, and her shoulders immediately tensed. Maybe she had spoken too soon.

"Evans, just go get your cloak," James argued behind her, running a hand through his impossibly messy hair. Unfortunately, James Potter was the last person Lily Evans would ever concede to, so instead of just going and getting her cloak, like she would if she were with anyone else, Lily straightened her shoulders, and headed out into the dark evening.

"Shut up, Potter," she muttered out, through gritted teeth. "I'll just cast a warming spell around me," Lily reasoned, proud of her own genius. James' laughter filled the chilly air as he followed along behind her.

"What is so funny Potter? Catch a glance at your reflection in the mirror?" Lily fumed at him. How did he know just how to get under her skin?

"Its adorable really. Such a novice," James replied, coming along beside her, and throwing a lazy arm around her shoulders, which she promptly shook off. Lily raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "You don't get your wand for detentions. Detentions are served magic-less."

Lily's face dropped, as the wind started biting at her cheeks. James seemed to notice this. With an exasperated shake of his head, the dark haired boy began to furiously untie his cloak.

"Here, take it," James demanded holding out his cloak to the startled redhead.

"No," Lily refused, giving a skeptical look at the boy in front of her.

"Take it, Evans," The fifth year boy insisted, grabbing her hand, and putting the cloak in it.

Lily fought against his grip, "No. Then you'll be cold, and I'm not going to feel guilty if you get sick."

"Evans, I'm trying to be nice here!" James argued back, letting go of the cloak.

Lily threw the black garment right back at him, "Well, it's not working!"

"Evans, you may be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, but you are absolutely maddening!" James yelled back at her, as he caught the cloak hard in the gut.

Lily could only scream in frustration, as she quickly turned at continued down the path towards Hagrid's hut. Her fury kept her warm, as she stalked on, until she was caught by the arm. Lily's emerald eyes looked to see James pulling her down the trail leading to the quidditch pitch.

"Let go of me, you oaf!" Lily argued, attempting to pull her arm away, but at this time James' strength won.

"Just come on," he urged her, letting go of her arm to slide his hand to hers. Lily shot him a foul look, but let herself be pulled along. James Potter was really the worst boy in the universe.

Lily found herself being hauled up the stairs of the pitch to the Gryffindor locker rooms.

"Woah, Potter. I don't know what you were thinking was going to happen but-" Lily started, as he pushed open the door to the boy's locker room, but she was cut off by Potter's annoyed expression.

Lily found herself standing awkwardly at the edge of a row of lockers, as James rummaged through what must be his personal locker.

"Here," came James' deep voice, and Lily quickly caught a large maroon and gold sweatshirt that he had thrown her way. Surprised, Lily held the shirt in front of her. It was striped and had an emblem of a lion on it. She turned it around and surveyed the back of it. The black letters spelling out POTTER, adorned the shoulders.

"No way."

"It's clean, and it's all you've got. So, just get over yourself and say thank you," James told her impatiently, leaning back against the row of lockers.

Lily shot him her worst glare. But he was right. It was this or nothing, and Lily couldn't bring herself to be that bullheaded. "Thank you," the redhead gritted out, before pulling the sweater over her head. The sleeves went well past her hands.

When she pulled her head through, she noticed a smug smirk playing at James' lips. "That looks nice on you," James added simply, before turning back to his locker. Lily let out a growl. "I have some pants too. They'll be way too long on you, but-"

"No, I don't want your pants, Potter. These tights are really thick. I'll probably be warmer than you," Lily interjected, quickly.

"But your legs-," James added.

"You don't need to concern yourself with my legs," Lily argued with a roll of her eyes, before heading back to the door.

James chuckle filled the locker room, "But Lily, your legs always concern me."

Lily slammed the door behind her. "Really charming, Potter," Lily scoffed, stomping her way back down the stairs.

They were able to meet Hagrid without being late. The large gamekeeper greeted the pair warmly, and was surprised to see Lily Evans out for an evening detention.

"His fault," was all she uttered as she handed over her wand. Hagrid smiled at the pair, and explained that they would be collecting moonfern, and they could finish once they filled three buckets full. No magic. Only a lantern and they could bring Hagrid's puppy fang. For protection. Lily felt herself growing more and more wary of the dark forest.

"And uh, look out for her, Potter," Hagrid added, with a nervous look at the fifth years, as they headed for the Forbidden Forest.

Soon enough all the moonfern had been gathered, and Lily had indeed fallen into a stickler bush, and of course she had to have James pull her out. But luckily, James slipped in some mud, and fell on his face, much to Lily's entertainment.

"How are you so comfortable out here?" she'd asked him at one point, as he swaggered along to the exact spot where they found their first batch of moonfern.

James looked back at her surprised, and answered, "I spend a lot of time out here." He looked up at the crescent moon before adding, "You shouldn't."

They worked quietly for a while before Lily found another burning question at the tip of her tongue. Before she could think better of it she asked, "How come you never told anyone?" The redhead was not able to look up from her work of plucking the furry fern.

James stopped working, and stood, pushing an uneasy hand through his dark hair. "I didn't think you would want me to," He answered her simply. No sounds of sarcasm or his usual arrogance in his tone.

Intrigued, Lily sat back on her knees, eyeing the boy curiously, "Potter, when do you ever refrain from doing something because you think I wouldn't want you to?"

"Evans, come on," James answered uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lily watched him for only a moment longer, "Why?" she prompted again.

He caught her gaze this time. "Evans," he reasoned firmly, a look on his face that made both of them turn away blushing. Neither ready for that kind of conversation. They finished their task in silence, and by the time the pair were climbing their way back up to the castle, they were both so on edge, James snapped at Lily for breathing too loudly. And once they were in the Entrance Hall, Lily shoved James for walking too slowly, landing them in their current predicament. Under the blasted enchanted mistletoe.

James and Lily stood just a meter away from each other, their eyes fuming, and their shoulders squared. The crowd of students around them were more than entertained by the two students in Hogwarts that hated each other the most, forced to kiss to be free of the other.

They had been stuck there now for twenty minutes.

"Is there nothing you can do?" James muttered frustratedly the rest of the Marauders, who stood mere meters away from the couple under the mistletoe.

"I'm sorry Prongsy," Sirius laughed heartily. "No one escapes enchanted mistletoe unsnogged."

"Poor Lily," Marlene McKinnon sympathized as she stood with her other roommates.

Lily found her cheeks growing even pinker. They had been brainstorming the whole time, trying to free themselves. And maybe Lily was a little annoyed by how put off James seemed at the idea of kissing her. She was starting to get some nasty looks from certain girls in the crowd.

"Merlin, Potter! Would you just kiss me already!" Lily yelled, her patience finally completely worn through.

James' gaze snapped to hers. The look of annoyance clear across his frustratingly handsome features. Then Lily felt the world screech to an alarming halt, as James' hazel eyes flashed with something that brought an unfamiliar warmth to her stomach. His large hands came to cup her cheeks, as he pulled her angry lips to his. Merlin. Lily wanted to scream. She wanted to hit him. The red head braced herself for his demanding lips, and his harsh pressure, but it never came. The smell of him, leather and wind surrounded her, and she found herself taking a step closer as his slow, persistent, and perfect lips coaxed a reaction out of her.

She felt her head going a bit light, as her lips began to tingle. A small moan escaped out of Lily's mouth, and was swallowed into James'. For a minute, the fifth year prefect forgot how to think; how to despise. She suddenly knew what it was like to feel. James took a solid step into her, bringing their bodies closer as his mouth tasted hers, so gently. Her neck and back arched to allow for their height difference, and Lily found her hands on his shoulders. Her fingers digging into his flesh.

Lily was melting under James' skilled mouth, and she found herself growing irate. Why was James the only boy who had ever made her feel this way? Why couldn't sweet Benjy Finn have caused her head to swim. Or Terry Hunter cause her lips to tingle? No, it had to be James Potter. The bane of her existence. Merlin his lips were soft.

James slowly broke the kiss, and Lily found herself keeping her eyes closed for a moment longer. When she did pull open her emerald orbs she found James looking down at her, with an expression so tender, Lily, who was finding she needed a moment to catch her breath, felt herself giving in. The tall boy reached for her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Evans, I-"

But James' sentence was interrupted, by Lily's open hand cracking across his cheek. The crowd around them erupted in gasps and cheers. She absolutely loathed James Potter.

They stood together for a moment, despite the dissipation of the invisible walls that had once held them captive. Lily's eyes doing their best to kill the messy headed boy with a look alone. James stood still for a second, his face turned by the force of her hand. When he finally pulled up to look at her a smug smirk played at his mouth.

"Feisty," he commented, wiping a small trickle of blood away from the corner of his lip with the back of his hand. Lily's eyes sparked, as she lunged at him. This was when the rest of the Marauder's got into action.

"Alright you two love birds. That's enough for tonight," Sirius interjected, grabbing his best friend round the waist and hauling him away from the girl, while Remus stepped in front of Lily.

"A little help McKinnon?" Sirius beckoned frustratedly at Lily's best friend, as Remus struggled to keep Lily from attacking James, who stood quietly with an amused look on his face.

"Personally, I'd like to see Lily smack him one more time," Marlene reasoned, as she pulled Lily under her arm. Settling the redhead down enough for Mary and Dorcas to come stand by her side.

"Come on Lovey, it's over now," Dorcas told her fuming friend, pulling her around in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower. With a huff Lily let herself be dragged along. Ugh, she would have to take ten showers just to get him off her skin. As the girls walked away together, Lily wrapped her sweater more tightly around her.

"Oi, Evans!" Potter's voice cut through the giggling crowd that had formed, and Lily found herself looking back over her shoulder at him. "You hit like a little girl," he goaded, a challenging brow raised at her. Lily noticed Remus shaking his head while the Entrance Hall erupted in laughter.

She felt her temper spike, before an easy smile settled on her lips, "Yeah? Well, Potter. You kiss like a little boy!" she threw back at him. Satisfaction swelled within her as she watched the smug smirk fall from his face. The Front Hall erupting into louder laughter and cheers. Lily felt Dorcas pull her along, and she quickened her steps, looking back at the boy once more, wondering when the tingling in her lips would finally go away.


End file.
